Where do you keep your medical certificate?

FredFenster

FredFenster

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Manitowoc, WI
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Greg L
Maybe a stupid question, but I finally got my fancy plastic pilot certificate in the mail and it got me thinking.. My photo ID and pilot certificate are easy enough to keep in my wallet, but that medical certificate isn't so easy to stuff in there. Mine is 5.5"x 4" and printed on really thick, hard to fold card stock. My wallet already is nearing George Costanza size. I currently have it in the back of my logbook held in by paperclips, but there's got to be a better place than that?
 
Nine of ten pilots in Dallas have their pilot's certificate and medical in a nifty little navy blue carrying pouch, with two clear inserts, folds to handy size to fit in your wallet. It has wings printed on the front, and Dr. Fried's name on it. Nice setup.
 
Ugh...mine's printed on plain paper stock...easy to fold up and stuff in with the rest of my crap in the wallet.

Another option for the logbook (although I no longer carry my logbook with me when flying) is to buy a little stick-on plastic pouch from Staples and put it in there. I have one of those stuck in the back-cover of my logbook from when I used to do that. Looks better than paper-clips!
 
Mine goes in my wallet (plain paper, not card stock). No big deal - I get a new one every year anyway.
 
I just carry both in my wallet and be done with it.
 
Taped to the inside front cover of my logbook which is always in my flight bag. My pilot's certificate is in a flight bag's zippered pocket along with my passport and the standard "FU" card to hand to the authorities if ever questioned at an airport.

(and, no, I won't get into an argument with the tinfoil hat crowd who are paranoid about carrying a logbook)
 
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In my logbook, which is in my flightbag.
 
Mine's folded over and stuffed behind my pilot certificate in a small case that has my essentials:

Driver's license, pilot certificate, aviation medical, health insurance card.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I just carry both in my wallet and be done with it.
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That's the obvious solution. And it's what I do as well.

The logbook is a bad place for it, as it shouldn't be in the aircraft unless you're a student pilot. It needs to be handy for all instruction, but it can be in the car. Your medical is required to be in your possession when flying as PIC (which includes most instruction after the private pilot).
 
Dunno can't remember what I did with the last one I had. There will be no next one, by choice.
Give ya 20 bucks for your airplane.:lol:
 
In my wallet, folded in quarters - Inside it is my pilot certificate, and surrounding both for protection is a chunk of a sectional chart from where I learned to fly.
 
I went to Staples or Office Depot and found a small zippered ID holder on a neck laynyard. Certificate, medical, airport ID and gate proxcard all fit inside it well. Keep in flight bag, must wear around the neck at the airport.

Works for me.
 
in the pocket that I think is designed for your license card on my flight bag. I keep my license in my wallet though...
 
FredFenster said:
Maybe a stupid question, but I finally got my fancy plastic pilot certificate in the mail and it got me thinking.. My photo ID and pilot certificate are easy enough to keep in my wallet, but that medical certificate isn't so easy to stuff in there. Mine is 5.5"x 4" and printed on really thick, hard to fold card stock. My wallet already is nearing George Costanza size. I currently have it in the back of my logbook held in by paperclips, but there's got to be a better place than that?
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Sure it is, I fold it in half and in half again and it fits into the slot with my plastic certificate card. Yours does not sound like a normal sized certificate, what country are you in?
 
In a pocket of my flight bag. Haven't carried my logbook in over a decade.
 
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I don't like to carry them in my flight bag since I a) could lose it and, b) might not always have my flight bag with me when I need to fly my plane someplace. I keep headsets and sectionals in the plane so I pretty much have everything I need if I want or need to make a spur of the moment trip and I'm not home.
 
Henning said:
Sure it is, I fold it in half and in half again and it fits into the slot with my plastic certificate card. Yours does not sound like a normal sized certificate, what country are you in?
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Wisconsin :rofl:

I could fold it twice and get it down to about a normal card size, but it got printed on really thick card stock that is probably about as thick as a plastic credit card is by itself. I assumed everyone got the thick paper but I guess it was just what my doc's office decided to use for it.
 
My Certificate is in a small credit-card sized envelope which goes in a 4"x6" plastic sleeve that also holds my medical certificate.
 
FredFenster said:
Wisconsin :rofl:

I could fold it twice and get it down to about a normal card size, but it got printed on really thick card stock that is probably about as thick as a plastic credit card is by itself. I assumed everyone got the thick paper but I guess it was just what my doc's office decided to use for it.
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Copy it on thin paper and fold. Keep the original in the very remote instance you'd need the original.
 
I have wondered the same question.

My original is taped to the back inside cover of my log book that stays in my flight bag.

I dont carry a wallet ( spine alignment, pick pockets, place for more stuff to accumulate) I tried folding a copy to keep in my money clip but eventually it got lost after a month or two so I fall back to the log book storage.
 
I bought a nice wallet from AOPA that has a plastic sleeve to hold my drivers license and pilot certificate and on the other side the medical. They don't make it anymore. I'm hoping the FAA goes to no more 3rd class medical so I don't need it anymore it's falling apart.
http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/11577
this is the only picture I can find it doesn't do it justice.
 
FredFenster said:
Wisconsin :rofl:

I could fold it twice and get it down to about a normal card size, but it got printed on really thick card stock that is probably about as thick as a plastic credit card is by itself. I assumed everyone got the thick paper but I guess it was just what my doc's office decided to use for it.
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That's what you get for moving to a foreign country.:D Copy it onto a regular piece of paper and re-sign it, fold it and stick it in your wallet. Keep the original in your log book.;)
 
In my wallet ,so that I am always legal to fly. Never know when a friend will let you fly his airplane,also always ready to rent.
 
hook_dupin said:
I have a picture of it in LogTenPro in my iPhone/iPad
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Which is useful how? The FAA requires the actual certificate to be in your possession while using the privs of your pilot certificate.
 
In my wallet, along with my pilot and flight instructor certificates and photo ID, so the all go everywhere with me and I can exercise the privileges anywhere, any time the opportunity arises.
 
Lately I've taken to leaving my certificate and medical in a pocket in my flight bag, which I typically leave near or in the cockpit coat closet. Less stuff in my pockets, and it's always right there if the FAA decides to check us out.
 
Ron Levy said:
It isn't. And they can tell a copy from an original by the signature, without which it isn't supposed to leave the doctor's office.
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My AME prints out a single sheet of paper on his printer, I cut it out, sign it, fold it, and put it in my wallet, no signed copy stays behind. This year having used MedExpress, I left nothing signed in his office. There would be no simple way to detect a copy from original.
 
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